Gauze-folding machine



. M. WILL-NEH.

GAUZE FOLDIN G MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7, 1919.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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M. WILLNER.

GAUZE FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man OCT. 7 1919.

INVENTOR flax M///76/;

A TTOHHEYS UNITED STATES MAX WILLNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAUZE-FOLDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

Application filed October 7, 1919. Serial No. 329,084.

To (all 10/20771- '1' i may concern.

lie it known. that I, MAX IVILLNER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of New York, borough-of Manhattan. in the countyand State of New York,

' have invented a new and useful Gauze-Fold ing Machine, of which thefollowing is a full. clear. and exact description.

This invention relates to devices for coiling strips of cloth and hasfor an object the provision of an improved construction wherein gauze orother narrow strips of cloth may have the edges folded and then foldedalong a central line in a continuous operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionwhich will take a comparatively short roll of gauze and fold the edgesand then fold the strip in the center after which the folded cloth iswound into a compact disk-shaped structure.

still further object, more specifically, 18 to provide a folding devicefor bandage gauze now in common use in hospitals wherein the parts willfold the gauze and then wrap the same into a disk, folding same so thatthe raw edges will be turned in.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding machine disclosing anembodiment of the .invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through Fig. 1, the same beingon line 2-42.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through Fig. 1 on line 33.

Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary transverse sectional view through Fig. 1on line 4-%l, the same being on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a detail fragmentary sectional view through the upper part ofthe structure shown in Fig. 1, the same being taken on line 5-7-5 and onan enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the folding mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 is a. fragmentary sectional view through Fig. l on line 6-6, thesame being on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the folding mechanism shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view through Fig. 1 on line 7-7, the samebeing on an enlarged scale.

In the manufacture and forming of dress ings for use in hospitals andelsewhere for the treatment of wounds or for use during operations ithas been customary to provide gauze bandages for binding purposes andalso folded gauze to place in the wounds. Heretofore it has beencustomary to cut the gauze cloth into narrow strips and wind the same sothat there will be some rolls of gauze of comparatively narrow width. Inusing these strips of gauze it is necessary to turn 1n the rough or rawedges and then fold the strip centrally so as to secure the benefit ofthe gauze while not permitting any loose threads to project. Thefoldingof the strips of gauze in this manner -is a tedious operation andrequires considerable amount of time in large hospitals where a largeamount of gauze of this character is used. In the present inventionmeans have been provided which will receive a roll of gauze and willquickly fold in the edges and then fold the strip centrally after whichthe folded strip 18 wound in a spiral or disk-shaped structure.Referring to the accompanying drawlngs by numerals 1 indicates a base orsupport, which in the present instance has been made hollow so as toreceive a drawer 2, which drawer may carry one or more extra rolls ofgauze or-othcr matter as preferred. On the upper face of the base '1 isarranged a plate 3 preferably of metal, which is provided with bent-upears 4 at one end be tween which the roll 5 of gauze is placedpreparatory to the folding thereof. At the opposite end of the plate 3guiding ears 6 and T are provided for the folded gauze to guide the sameinto a winding apparatus 8 hereinafter fully described. Adjacent theears 6 and 7 a turned down projection 9 is provided for receiving ascrew or other fastening, while at convenient points. along the plate 3other fastening means are provided. The ears' accommodate a pintle 10around which is wrapped part of a hood 11, which hood is thereby pivotally mounted in place. The front edge 12 of the hood 11 is designedto rest against the full width of the strip 13 from the roll 5. The edgestructure 12 merges into a bent-up neck 1a which in turn merges into aspreader 15, shown heart-shaped, though some other shape could be usedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. The spreader 15extends to near the preliminary folding members 16 which are rigidlysecured by' screws or otherwise to the plate 3. Spaced a proper distancefrom the preliminary folding members 16 are a second pair of foldingmembers 17, While a third or last set of folding members 18 are arrangeda short distancev from the ears 6 and 7. These various folding membersare spaced ap proximately the same distance apart, but

it is evident that they may be spacedfarther apart or closer together asdesired. The preliminary folding means, as shown in F ig. 4:, are eachprovided with an inwardly extending edge 19 merging into a body 20 "offthe folding member, which body is pro vided with a flared front 21 so asto receive the cloth easily. As the cloth passes into the member 16 theedges are folded over so that a section along each edge is parallel withthe plate 3, said sections leaving the member 16 in this position. Thesecond set of folding members 17 are provided with flaring ends 22whiclnmerge into almost vertical portions 23 as indicated in Fig. 5.Itwill thus be seen that the first folding members turn over the edgeswhile the second bend the strip substantially on a central line, whichbending action is completed by the members 18 which are parallel andwhich extend at right angles to plate 3 except the slight enteringbulged portion 24: in each member. As the strip leaves the members. 18it is extending at right angles to the way it is positioned beneath thespreader 15, but is turned as it passes between the ears 6 and 7. I

Connected with the end 25 of base. 1 is a winding device 8 into whichthe folded strip passes. At first the end of the folded strip is passedinto the notch 26 as shown "in Fig. 7 and as the crank 27 is rotated thefolded strip will be wound into a substan- 1 tially disk-shapedstructure and between the side plates 28 and 29. lVhen the complete roll5 has been folded and wound on the stub shaft 30, said stub shaft isremoved by a direct pull and the wound folded gauze is forced fromthewinding member 8 by an ejector 31. This ejector is merely a barpivotally mounted at 32 with the lower end substantially arc-shapedwhereby when the upper end 33 is depressed it will press against thewound gauze and force the same r from between the plates28 and 29.

bandagetation of the crank 27 the spreader 15 holds the strip in properplace andguides the same so that the edges of the strip will properly beengaged by members 16. for turning them over to the position shown inFig. l. It will, of course, be evident that the operator must watch theoperation so that in case the strip should move slightly to one side orthe other a proper manual ad justment may be made so as to cause acontinuous proper folding action.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A bandage strip folding machine comprising a holder for a roll ofbandage material, a plurality of folding members arrangedin a linethrough which the strip is adapted to pass, and a spreader for holdingthe strip in proper place as it enters the first folding member.

2. A machine for turning in the edgcs and folding bandages con'iprisinga base plate having a pair of turned-up ears adjacent'each end, one ofsaid pair of ears acting in the combined capacity of guiding and foldingmeans while the other acts as holding means for a roll of bandage cloth,a plurality of spaced folding member arranged on said base between theends of the base, the folding member nearest the roll producing apreliminary fold while the remaining members act successively forcompleting the. turning in of the edges and then folding substantiallyon a. central line.

A machine for folding a strip of gauze longitudinally comprising aholding memher for a roll of gauze, a tension member engaging the gauzeadjacent the roll, a spreader adjacent the tension member, a pair offolding members for folding the edges inwardly, a pair of foldingmembers for folding the strip centrally, and means for causing thefolded strip to be permanently creased as it leaves the machine.

4. A bandage strip folding machine comprising a supporting base having aflat upper surface a plate extending longitudinally "of said flat uppersurface and connected therewith, said plate havinga pair of upturnedears adjacent each end, one of sa d ears be ng larger than the ther, a

pivotally mounted holder for a roll: of bandage material arranged sothat the large upstanding ears will act'as end members therefor, aspreader for the material as it leaves said holder, a plurality offolding means between said spreader and the smaller set of cars, and awinding member adjacent said smaller set of ears for Winding the foldedMAX WILLNER.

